Ernie was the Ops Officer when I was on loan to VF121 from the Royal Navy. Watching Ernie fly on our wing was an eye opener. I had never seen anybody fly that close and tucked in so close, up until that point (and since)! Easily the most polished and capable F4 driver that I ever flew with.
I'm proud and honored to have flown three of the birds in this story. I flew the F-9, F-11 and the brute F-4. I grew up in Pensacola, FL where the Blues are based from and growing up with them and going to all of their open houses and air shows sold me on Naval Aviation. The F-9 was like an armored car that was so overbuilt that I could jump on the wing and it wouldn't even move. The F-11 was like putting on a Superman cape and soaring. It was also a nice gun platform but had a lousy ejection seat. The F-4 was as badass as it looked. Mean and powerful but big inside and a pilot's plane. See that 35,000 foot Nimbo Cumulos? Watch this as I pulled back on the stick and flew straight up the side of the big cloud! Light the burners and watch the airspeed indicator unwind. I actually got paid to do that! It will always be my favorite and it got me home from Vietnam without a scratch. God bless these old war horses!
Thank you for your service, sir. The F-4 is one of my favorite jets. This airport at El Paso that we'd fly into when visiting home had these awesome die-cast jet models, got a Phantom, an Eagle, and a Raptor. Maybe that's why those are my favorites, but they're just awesome fighters to look at. Special mention to the warthog!
Over my life, I've seen the Blues in 4 types: The F-11F, the F-4, the A-4F and the F-18. The Phantom has always been my favorite. It may not have been the most agile, but it was easily the loudest and most visceral, and to see it do those maneuvers was astounding. Hearing these pilots who flew the plane tell their stories was a real privilege, and I salute them.
Great video!! I was totally blown away watching Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience in the theater when I was 8 years old. The F-4 era will always be my favorite. It was great to see that many of the Phantom drivers are still with us and are able to share their unique perspective of those incredible years with the team.
This was a wonderful video and brings back so many great memories. I saw the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds at Carswell, Ft. Worth Texas in 1969. Fourteen years later I was recovering F4s and A4s for the Marine Corps! That’s how much of an influence your show had on me! Thank you.
I was stationed at Carswell in 1969 at the age of 20 in the new FB-11A program and saw the Thunderbirds flying the F-4 at the airshow in Carswell and the Blue Angels flying the F-4 at the naval air station south of Fort Worth. I have always felt that I had witnessed history in the making that year because of this experience. The F-4 was an impressive machine!
My dad took us to Point Mugu in California to watch this team (I assume this was the team). In 1988 I joined the team working my way up to Frontman. It was a great time.
This is great! So glad this popped up in my feed. I learned a lot. Never knew the Angels were around so long. THANK YOU for your efforts and THANK YOU to those who served.
I was in the Navy in Pearl Harbor when you did your show in Hawaii in the F4's. I heard you were going to fly, and I was compelled to go and experience what the Blue Angels were all about for my first time ever seeing them. The F4's were incredible beasts in the air, and I was so impressed with your flying. Although I believe the Blue Angels are still second to none, I don't believe that I have ever seen a better show by any flying team since then. Thank you for sharing your talents and the machine that made that show a reality. I recently visited a museum in Tucson, AZ that has an F4 on display. Compared to every other aircraft in that building, it was absolutely huge. If you all were to ever fly them again, I would seek you out and be there to see what you are doing.
Truly amazing to see all those guys together again talking about the phabulous phantom. If I'm ever so blessed as to meet any of these gentlemen, I'd shake all of their hands and hope they'd sign my copy of Threshold.
Kinda interested in how Steve Shoemaker is doing. I live in San Diego and played baseball with his son in the 90's. I notice he has not been in any of your video's. I hope he is still doing well.
I was at Pt Mugu in 1968 and I believe it was the last year for the F11. The solo pilots took off and performed their dirty rolls but something went sideways with #6 and he barely got the airplane back to wings level before slamming back onto the runway hard enough to dislodge the tailhook. Then he just took off (again) like nothing had happened. For a second I thought maybe it was part of the program but one of the MP's nearby let us know "we almost saw someone buy the farm right there...". For a few minutes #5 and #6 flew around in tight formation to check for fluid leaks or visible damage then they just carried on with the performance with the tailhook on #6 hanging out there. Amazing and I will never forget it.
The F-4 Phantom is my favorite fighter! My hop in the backseat was So memorable! As a young person the 69’ & 70s teams flying that same aircraft was totally Awesome!!❤🇺🇸
The 69 team really were angels on our wings. Those guys are true heros been there and done that. They're like no other nor will there ever be a group like'em. We are truly blessed to have seen them grace our skies and light the fire of aviation in our hearts I for one will be forever grateful. God bless the Phantom blues.
I have a copy of Threshold the Blue Angels Experience that I purchased back about 1984 or so. It is a VHS tape that was converted from 16mm film taken during the 1971 season I believe. Some of these guys are in it as well as Harley Hall, Skip Umstead and some other famous pilots. The F 4 was a great airshow plane from the spectator's perspective because it was big and loud and super impressive. I hated the switch from it to the A 4 Skyhawk when that happened because all the thrill was gone and we had this dinky airplane. This video is great to see, these pilots are very special and come from a special time and will always be remembered. It amazes me that so many people have a special place in their hearts for the F4.
I was in the Philippines in the Navy 70 - 72. The Blue Angels performed at Cubi NAS flying the F4. They did not have to follow CONUS rules and regs. They really put the Phantom through its paces....broke the sound barrier and cracked the glass at the Cubi tower....great show....lots of noise and smoke
Well, they looked at safety different back then. 6 planes landing formation really looks like a nightmare for any jet pilot. So many things can go wrong with a catastrophic consequences. There was zero-zero ejection seats on F-4's, but in so close formation it can be really deadly dangerous to eject. Today people's life matters much more, nobody want to take such high risks.
Thank you for this vid! When I was a kid in Ireland, my dad took me to an airshow. A USAF phantom flew from Germany to do a display. It was an overcast day, the announcer said the phantom was going to do a fast low pass. It disappeared into the clouds, we could hear it flying around, it then flew down out of the clouds and that crazy dude did a mach 1 low pass at about 50 fee, it shattered windows behind me. It was the loudest and greatest thing I've ever seen!
Was stationed at NAS Cecil Field fla in VFA-106 when the Blue Angels took delivery of the first f-18" from us in 1986 , Also served with then Lt Rob FField in VFA-131 Wildcats same base who went on to be the CO of the Blues from 2002-2004 . Seen the Catshot group sign thinking its owned by Rob FField as well .
USN, 68-74, ETR-2, I maintained GCA RADAR and TACAN, NAS Miramar, 70-74. Our shop was out about Q6 off the N side of the high speed taxiway, behind the "bore sight" building. Got to see these at one of the airshows, early 70s Nothing NOTHING like it.
I wonder what happened to those two blue angel piolets that everyone at VT 4 called dog and puppy dog the bullie brother's, one was a marine dentist and I don't know what the other one was but that dentist fouled up my teeth and screamed in my ear the whole time I was in the dentist chair. He busted my ear drum and I can't hear good to this day. Not to mention that my ears were already damaged from an accident of a man getting cought up in a A4 intake.
My father was in Operations NAS Miami when Butch received orders to proceed to Jacksonville and commence the public flying demonstration team. They were both instructors. Voris forbade married men. Al Taddeo, a squadron mate of my dad, was chosen for that first group. My name is Kirk, and I'm the son of Lt. Cmdr. W.C. "Bud" Kelly.
The Blues were never more impressive than when they were throwing smoking thunderhog F4s around the sky. It's a really big plane and to watch them fly so close was always amazing to me.
BTW in the introductory video's closing scene was shown a military formation landing; picture perfect. Nevertheless, such a clearly dangerous practice was recently permanently banned, services wide FINALLY after long strings of terrific crashes involving JUST this one maneuver, exponentially increasing the most dangerous maneuvers inherent in all flights, the landing, second only to the take-off for the same reasons. However, there is no good reason to land in formation at all that I've ever been able to discover. A formation take-off, yes, to stay together once airborne because its easy to get lost. But not land together like that; that is inherently only blue angel aviator grade maneuvering, yet totally unnecessary for any military reason I can think of.
Jeff, I think you are referring to the more recent 2-ship T-38 formation landing accident. Tens of thousands of them have been performed without incident and are not that difficult. I did them in the T-38, F-4, A-37 and my own personal airplane, an RV-8. The Blues 6-ship landing is entirely different and dangerous. Unless you have done them, you don't know of what you speak.
@@jcheck6 Where do you get this idea of unless you do something, like formation flying, you can't even comment on it? What I asked anyone can ask is - what IS the overriding military. or any purpose to a formation landing? If it's unreasonable and inherently dangerous, it's thus stupid and ignorant by definition. Why do you defend such unreasonableness and attack me? I've flown formation and hated it. Would you like to formation drive or sail? If there's no reason for it, I don't understand and thus question it. Why are you chastising me as such? I'm only entirely curious; NOW, at your motivation, intent or attitudinal grounding because its entirely unknown and alien to me, even though or maybe especially because I don't have as much flighttime as you. Just explain and answer my sincere questions here please. If you don't know, say you don't know.
Ernie was the Ops Officer when I was on loan to VF121 from the Royal Navy.
Watching Ernie fly on our wing was an eye opener. I had never seen anybody fly that close and tucked in so close, up until that point (and since)!
Easily the most polished and capable F4 driver that I ever flew with.
I'm proud and honored to have flown three of the birds in this story. I flew the F-9, F-11 and the brute F-4. I grew up in Pensacola, FL where the Blues are based from and growing up with them and going to all of their open houses and air shows sold me on Naval Aviation. The F-9 was like an armored car that was so overbuilt that I could jump on the wing and it wouldn't even move. The F-11 was like putting on a Superman cape and soaring. It was also a nice gun platform but had a lousy ejection seat. The F-4 was as badass as it looked. Mean and powerful but big inside and a pilot's plane. See that 35,000 foot Nimbo Cumulos? Watch this as I pulled back on the stick and flew straight up the side of the big cloud! Light the burners and watch the airspeed indicator unwind. I actually got paid to do that! It will always be my favorite and it got me home from Vietnam without a scratch. God bless these old war horses!
Welcome home Warrior
Thank you for your service, sir.
The F-4 is one of my favorite jets. This airport at El Paso that we'd fly into when visiting home had these awesome die-cast jet models, got a Phantom, an Eagle, and a Raptor. Maybe that's why those are my favorites, but they're just awesome fighters to look at. Special mention to the warthog!
Over my life, I've seen the Blues in 4 types: The F-11F, the F-4, the A-4F and the F-18. The Phantom has always been my favorite. It may not have been the most agile, but it was easily the loudest and most visceral, and to see it do those maneuvers was astounding. Hearing these pilots who flew the plane tell their stories was a real privilege, and I salute them.
Lordie, Deere, HOW OLD are you? I enlisted in 68 and I'm 73 now
@@fourfortyroadrunner6701 When I saw them flying the F-11F, I was a Cub Scout. I'm 67 now. I've also seen the Thunderbirds fly the Phantom.
Great video!! I was totally blown away watching Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience in the theater when I was 8 years old. The F-4 era will always be my favorite. It was great to see that many of the Phantom drivers are still with us and are able to share their unique perspective of those incredible years with the team.
This was a wonderful video and brings back so many great memories. I saw the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds at Carswell, Ft. Worth Texas in 1969. Fourteen years later I was recovering F4s and A4s for the Marine Corps! That’s how much of an influence your show had on me! Thank you.
I was stationed at Carswell in 1969 at the age of 20 in the new FB-11A program and saw the Thunderbirds flying the F-4 at the airshow in Carswell and the Blue Angels flying the F-4 at the naval air station south of Fort Worth. I have always felt that I had witnessed history in the making that year because of this experience. The F-4 was an impressive machine!
My dad took us to Point Mugu in California to watch this team (I assume this was the team).
In 1988 I joined the team working my way up to Frontman.
It was a great time.
This is great! So glad this popped up in my feed. I learned a lot. Never knew the Angels were around so long. THANK YOU for your efforts and THANK YOU to those who served.
Capt Harley H Hall was my second cousin, I never met. I was born in 1980. He was shot down January 27, 1973. He went MIA, he is now a POW
Your second cousin "Is not forgotten", we will never forget them, as long as we have breath, we will pray for their return.
"Anytime, Anyplace"
He was the last plane shot down....what a wonderful man.
Ryan in my opinion this is your best effort to date. Entertaining, enjoyable as well as highly informative. Dad
I agree sir
thank you papi
Landing a tight 6 ships formation in F-4's - now this is something.
As USUAL, Ryan - you've created another awesome masterpiece. Always a LEARNING experience watching these.
Great video presentation. Laughed out loud at some of the war stories. Fantastic stuff!
I was in the Navy in Pearl Harbor when you did your show in Hawaii in the F4's. I heard you were going to fly, and I was compelled to go and experience what the Blue Angels were all about for my first time ever seeing them. The F4's were incredible beasts in the air, and I was so impressed with your flying. Although I believe the Blue Angels are still second to none, I don't believe that I have ever seen a better show by any flying team since then. Thank you for sharing your talents and the machine that made that show a reality. I recently visited a museum in Tucson, AZ that has an F4 on display. Compared to every other aircraft in that building, it was absolutely huge. If you all were to ever fly them again, I would seek you out and be there to see what you are doing.
Truly amazing to see all those guys together again talking about the phabulous phantom. If I'm ever so blessed as to meet any of these gentlemen, I'd shake all of their hands and hope they'd sign my copy of Threshold.
Kinda interested in how Steve Shoemaker is doing. I live in San Diego and played baseball with his son in the 90's. I notice he has not been in any of your video's. I hope he is still doing well.
Nice job, Ryan! Proud to make a small contribution.
I was at Pt Mugu in 1968 and I believe it was the last year for the F11. The solo pilots took off and performed their dirty rolls but something went sideways with #6 and he barely got the airplane back to wings level before slamming back onto the runway hard enough to dislodge the tailhook. Then he just took off (again) like nothing had happened. For a second I thought maybe it was part of the program but one of the MP's nearby let us know "we almost saw someone buy the farm right there...". For a few minutes #5 and #6 flew around in tight formation to check for fluid leaks or visible damage then they just carried on with the performance with the tailhook on #6 hanging out there. Amazing and I will never forget it.
The F-4 Phantom is my favorite fighter! My hop in the backseat was So memorable! As a young person the 69’ & 70s teams flying that same aircraft was totally Awesome!!❤🇺🇸
I must have watched THRESHOLD 80 million times.Loved the F-4 and all those guys!
The 69 team really were angels on our wings. Those guys are true heros been there and done that. They're like no other nor will there ever be a group like'em. We are truly blessed to have seen them grace our skies and light the fire of aviation in our hearts I for one will be forever grateful. God bless the Phantom blues.
I have a copy of Threshold the Blue Angels Experience that I purchased back about 1984 or so. It is a VHS tape that was converted from 16mm film taken during the 1971 season I believe. Some of these guys are in it as well as Harley Hall, Skip Umstead and some other famous pilots. The F 4 was a great airshow plane from the spectator's perspective because it was big and loud and super impressive. I hated the switch from it to the A 4 Skyhawk when that happened because all the thrill was gone and we had this dinky airplane. This video is great to see, these pilots are very special and come from a special time and will always be remembered. It amazes me that so many people have a special place in their hearts for the F4.
I was in the Philippines in the Navy 70 - 72. The Blue Angels performed at Cubi NAS flying the F4. They did not have to follow CONUS rules and regs. They really put the Phantom through its paces....broke the sound barrier and cracked the glass at the Cubi tower....great show....lots of noise and smoke
Landing all 6 F-4 Blue Angles in formation!!!!! Will never see that happen today
Well, they looked at safety different back then. 6 planes landing formation really looks like a nightmare for any jet pilot. So many things can go wrong with a catastrophic consequences. There was zero-zero ejection seats on F-4's, but in so close formation it can be really deadly dangerous to eject. Today people's life matters much more, nobody want to take such high risks.
Thank you for this vid! When I was a kid in Ireland, my dad took me to an airshow. A USAF phantom flew from Germany to do a display. It was an overcast day, the announcer said the phantom was going to do a fast low pass. It disappeared into the clouds, we could hear it flying around, it then flew down out of the clouds and that crazy dude did a mach 1 low pass at about 50 fee, it shattered windows behind me. It was the loudest and greatest thing I've ever seen!
Legends all together. Thank you
This was awesome so awesome learning the history of the team
This is an all time classic!
3000 hours on any aircraft is absolutely astounding and extremely impressive. What badasses!
Love hearing from the aviation heroes of times long passed.
I could listen to these great guys talk all day.
Wonderful video. Those were great stories.
Was stationed at NAS Cecil Field fla in VFA-106 when the Blue Angels took delivery of the first f-18" from us in 1986 , Also served with then Lt Rob FField in VFA-131 Wildcats same base who went on to be the CO of the Blues from 2002-2004 . Seen the Catshot group sign thinking its owned by Rob FField as well .
When the Blue Angels came to Pease AFB in the late 70s, they said we should rent them premium cars. We rented them Thunderbirds.
Best "comment" ever! 🤣👍
I was in va113 in 1963-4 nas leemore. Great little airplane. Deployed in late 1963 on the Kitthawk on a westpac Cruze.
USN, 68-74, ETR-2, I maintained GCA RADAR and TACAN, NAS Miramar, 70-74. Our shop was out about Q6 off the N side of the high speed taxiway, behind the "bore sight" building. Got to see these at one of the airshows, early 70s Nothing NOTHING like it.
First team I got to see. Love this team. Hero’s, every last one of them
Super video. Loads of comedy from the pilots. Really enjoyed this one.
What a fantastic crew all of these men and gals were. True professionals at their craft !
The F4c will always be my favorite aircraft.
I've never been parked this close to an airplane 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Awesome.. Thanks 👍
The Blue Angels Rock, these guys made me wish I could fly
I live in Annapolis and I've seen the Blues fly the F-11 through the F-18. The F-4 was definitely "The Beast" loud as hell.
Great video thank you I will always be a Blue Angels Fan.
Thanks, Ryan. Really appreciate your support for this channel.
It was great seeing F 4s end with a formation landing!
what a wonderful discussion from these great pilots. Was mesmerizing, entertaining and funny. Hope I got the correct words there.
Fantastic. 👍
great Vid.
I was stationed in Key West when these guys came down for that indoctrination flight and it was impressive.
When you’re out of F-8’s,, your out of fighters.
“ Tooter “ Teague . Bossier Louisiana.
SARGENT 📜☦️
Can someone clarify this for me...was that Steve shoemaker Ryan introduced at very end ?
Hi Randy, I was introducing Harry Chesnut, Who was Steve Shoemaker’s crew chief. Thanks for taking time to watch!
@@BlueAngelPhantoms Hi Ryan, Thanx for a OK3 presentation. Would you happen to know how Shoe is these days?
I live within a day's drive to the P-cola area. Are these panels open to the public?
I wonder what happened to those two blue angel piolets that everyone at VT 4 called dog and puppy dog the bullie brother's, one was a marine dentist and I don't know what the other one was but that dentist fouled up my teeth and screamed in my ear the whole time I was in the dentist chair. He busted my ear drum and I can't hear good to this day. Not to mention that my ears were already damaged from an accident of a man getting cought up in a A4 intake.
54:46 I see John "Gucci" Foley, #5 of the '93 team I think, in the documentary Blue Angels Around the World at the Speed of Sound
I think that is “Thumper” next to him. #6.
Good eye James
@@challenger604pilot I didn't notice him! How cool!
My father was in Operations NAS Miami when Butch received orders to proceed to Jacksonville and commence the public flying demonstration team. They were both instructors. Voris forbade married men. Al Taddeo, a squadron mate of my dad, was chosen for that first group. My name is Kirk, and I'm the son of Lt. Cmdr. W.C. "Bud" Kelly.
The Blues were never more impressive than when they were throwing smoking thunderhog F4s around the sky. It's a really big plane and to watch them fly so close was always amazing to me.
When bold aviators had a set... None of this pre-tested electronic gadgetry, fly-by-wire and health & safety nonsense of today.
oh please
Why do the blues no longer do the delta landing in the F-18 super hornet ?
My plane was an a-4
💚
Johnny 5... Need more input 🥋🔱😘🎯🔕🇺🇸👀
Airbase,My Father 3 tours 📜⚛️✝️🔯⛑️👩🚀
Dude these guys are hilarious--its so deadpan you could probably put a different type of tour together.
BTW in the introductory video's closing scene was shown a military formation landing; picture perfect. Nevertheless, such a clearly dangerous practice was recently permanently banned, services wide FINALLY after long strings of terrific crashes involving JUST this one maneuver, exponentially increasing the most dangerous maneuvers inherent in all flights, the landing, second only to the take-off for the same reasons. However, there is no good reason to land in formation at all that I've ever been able to discover. A formation take-off, yes, to stay together once airborne because its easy to get lost. But not land together like that; that is inherently only blue angel aviator grade maneuvering, yet totally unnecessary for any military reason I can think of.
Jeff, I think you are referring to the more recent 2-ship T-38 formation landing accident. Tens of thousands of them have been performed without incident and are not that difficult. I did them in the T-38, F-4, A-37 and my own personal airplane, an RV-8. The Blues 6-ship landing is entirely different and dangerous. Unless you have done them, you don't know of what you speak.
@@jcheck6 Where do you get this idea of unless you do something, like formation flying, you can't even comment on it? What I asked anyone can ask is - what IS the overriding military. or any purpose to a formation landing? If it's unreasonable and inherently dangerous, it's thus stupid and ignorant by definition. Why do you defend such unreasonableness and attack me? I've flown formation and hated it. Would you like to formation drive or sail? If there's no reason for it, I don't understand and thus question it. Why are you chastising me as such? I'm only entirely curious; NOW, at your motivation, intent or attitudinal grounding because its entirely unknown and alien to me, even though or maybe especially because I don't have as much flighttime as you. Just explain and answer my sincere questions here please. If you don't know, say you don't know.
Air Calvary Division